Fence.



Inventor J/Z/enf Attorney N0 MODEL.

Witnesses Gum CLM UNrreD STATES Patented November 22, 1904;

araNT @triest JOIIN A. LIC IIFV, OF IICORIA. ILLINOIS.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 775,335, dated November 22, 1904.

Application tiled March 14, 1904. Serial No. 198,155. No modelff Be it known that l, JOHN A. Le Hnw, a citizen ot' the United States, residing' at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fences; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ot' the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in tension devices for wire or other fences; and it consists in certain novel features ot construction, combination, and arrangement otl parts hereinafter t'ully described and claimed.

lhe object ot' my invention is to provide a simple, durable, and comparatively inexpensive tension device ot' this character by means ot' which the top strands of a wire tence may be quickly and easily tightened or adjusted to prevent sagging'. This and other objects, which will appear when the nature ot' my invention is better understood, I attain by the construction shown in the accom panying drawings, in which--- Figure 1 is a side elevation of one end ot' a wire Vtence with my improved tension device applied thereto. Fig. Q is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the device detached from the fence.

Referring to the drawing's by numerals, l denotes a portion of a wire tence comprising a wire t'abric or netting 2, secured upon the usual vertical posts 3, which are embedded in the ground. Between the end post and the next adjacent post are an upper longitudinal brace 6 and a diagonal tension-brace 7. The brace 6 is disposed horizontally between the upper ends ot' the said posts and consists` ot' a straight bar or rod ot' wood or metal having' forked ends 8 adapted to engage said posts, as shown, to keep them spaced an equal distance apart. The diagonal brace 7 comprises two metallic rods 9 and 10, between which are disposed a turnbuckle 11, by means of which said brace may be adjusted, and a tension-spring device 1Q, which may be used or omitted, as desired, and which is adapted to yield to the expansion and contraction ot' the wire tence due to changes in temperat-ure.

The rod S) has one end passed through an opening in the intermediate post adjacent to its upper end and is retained therein by a head or nut 13, and its opposite end is scrcw-tln'eaded, as at 1I, and operates in a screw-threaded opening 15, formed in one end otl the turnbuckle-'l'rame 16. The opposite end ot' said frame 16 has swiveled to it, as at 1T, a hook or eye 18. The rod 10 has its lower end securely attached to the lower end ot' the end post, as at 19, and its upper end 2O is secured to one end ot' the trame 21 ot' the said tension device 12. The said trame Q1, which is of open rectangular form, has a rod QQ, in an aperture 23 in its opposite cud. The outerend ot' said rod 22 is termed with a hook or eye 24, which is engaged with the said hook or eye 18. and the inner end ot' said rod is provided with a head Q5, between which and the end oi said trame 21 is conliued a stiti' springQG, coiled around said rod 21, as shown. The end post is preferably provided at its lower end with an anchor 4I to assist in holding the same tirmly in the ground.

The use, operation, and advantages of my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying' drawings. It will be seen that when the turubuckle 11 is operated the length ot' the brace T may be quickly varied. I'Vhen said brace is thus shortened, the upper end of the intermediate post will be drawn toward the end of the tence to take up any looseness or slack in the fence `fabric and to prevent the same from sagging, and the brace 6 will at the same time torce the upper end of the end post in the same direction. The spring device 12 will compensate for the variation in the length ot' the tence due to heat or cold and will yield to all strains upon the fence to prevent the same from breaking.

While I have shown and described my invention as applied to the end or corner posts o't' a fence, it will be understood that the same may be used at any other point.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departii'lg from the principle or sacriticing any ot' the advantages ot' this invention.

sliding IOO Having thus fully described iny invention, what l claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, Yis- 1. In a fence the combination with adjacent posts connected by a wire fabric, of a rigid brace connecting' the upper ends of the said posts, and a diagonal brace between the upper end of one of said posts and the lower end of the other, said brace having an adjusting-turnbuckle and a tension-spring interposed between its ends, substantially as described.

2. In a fence the combination with adjacent posts connected by a wire fabric, of a rigid brace connecting the upper ends of said posts,

and a diagonal tension-brace comprising a rod 9 secured to the upper end of one ofsaid posts, a rod 10 secured to the lower end or lthe other of said posts, a turnbuckle 11 upon JOHN A. LE HEIN.

IVitnesses:

R. H. MCNAIR, JAMES P. MURPHY. 

